Radiator air-circulation-control device



-June 19, 1923.

E. H. BIRDSALL RADIATOR AIR CIRCULATION CONTROL DEVICE Filed May I, 1922' Patented June l9, i923.

warrant stars means.

caterer eerie.

EDWIN H. BIRDSALL,

or crnonri'ron, IOWA.

nanreroa Ara-cirwULAnoN-coNrRoL DEVICE.

Application filed m 1, 1922, Serial no. 557,579.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN H. BIRDSALL, acitizenof the United States, and a resident of Thornton, in the county of Cerro Gordo' and State of Iowa, havefinvented a" certain new'and useful Radiator Air-Circulation- Control Device, of which the following is a specification. I I Theobject of my invention'is to provide a radiator air circulation control device, comprising a part of a radiator of the kind used on motor vehicles and the like;

More particularly, it'is my object to provide a radiator used for motor vehicles, having as a part of its structure, front meansfor automatically opening or closing, dc-

pendingupon the temperature, such structure, for thereby controlling the passage of air through the radiator. L

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects con 'templatedare attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawin's, in which igure lshows a front elevation of a radiator having as a part thereof, an air control device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 shows a vertical, sectional view.

taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, illustrating the air control device in one of its posithe front of a -radiator so that in cold weather, the amount of air drawn through v a radiator and between the tubes thereof.

- may be reduced, while in warmer weather,

' adapted to be mechanically operated.

the free circulation of air may be permitted. In some instances, automobiles and similar vehicles are provided with shutter structures mounted in front of the radiator and and forwardly.

It is my purpose to mount on the radiator as a part thereof, a device, which will auto-.

matically open and close for regulating the admission of air according to variations in temperature.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a radiator of the type having the water conducting tubes,- indicated by the reference character 10. These tubes are spaced and held in position by means of the so-called fins or thin plates 11. i

In the type of radiator now under consideration, the fins 11 are made to project forwardly a substantial distance from the front of the radiator, and the projecting portlons, I have indicated by the numeral 12.

I preferably divide these'projecting por-' tions 12 into three sections along vertical lines, as indicated in Figure 1 at A, B

and C Underneath the projecting members 12 of the respective-sections, I mount plates 13 of a metal having a difi'erent and great 00- efficient of expansion than that of the proecting portions 12.

The plates 13 are preferably provided their rearward edges with notches 14: to partially receive the forward tubes 10, as shownfor instance in Figures 2 and 4.

The plates 13 and extensions 12 are soldered or otherwise secured together along their entire length. The'plates 13 may be secured to the extensions 12 by means of a suitable number of rivets or the like 15, as shown in Figure 5.

The parts are so connected and arranged and originally installed, that the plates 13 will never straighten out to horizontal, but will always be curved slightly downwardly need be very slight, when the radiator is very hot.

It will be seen that with the arrangement just described, when the radiator cools 0d, the extensions 12 and plates 13 w ill contract.

Insomuch as the plates 13 contract to a greater degree than the extensions 12, said plates and extensions will be forced into downwardly extending curves, as shown in Figure 2.. I a I The forward edges of the respective pairs of plates and extensions will be thrown together, as shown in said figure, thus shutting off the access of air from the front to the radiator.

The curvature, however,

\ only automatic, but that it operates to shut parts of the radiator, which remain hot.

However, when the radiator .warms up, the plates 13 and extensions 12 will expand, and on account of the greater expansion of the plates 13, they will tend to straighten out, toward the position shown in Figure 3. It will be noticed that the arrangement is such that 'the operation of the device is automatic accordin tothe temperature of the radiator and the temperature outside, so

that the device needs no attention afterit is installed, and requires no'repairs. 4

The entire device, is referabl-y protected by an ordinary surrounding frame 16, which may extend ordinarily as far "as the forward edge's'of the plates 13 andthe extensions 12. It is a matter of common knowledge that radiators ordinarily freeze near their lower It therefore follows that. my device is not oi the air in cold. weather fromthat part of the radiator, which ismost lik' ly to freeze first, while permitting air circulation to the Some changes may be-made in the construction and arrangement of my improved radiator air circulatlon control device, without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is nay-intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms vtubes,

of structureor use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within the scope of said claims I claim as my invention:

1. In a radiator having water conducting tubes, pairs of plates projecting forwardly fromthe-tubes', said pairs being fi-xed together at their forward and rearward ends,

tween their ends and being made of material having different coeffici'ents-ofexpansion. 2. In a radiator having water conducting tubes, pairs of plates projecting forwardly and being connectedagainst spreading befrom the tubes, said pairs being fixed togather at their forward andrearward ends, and being connected against spreading between their ends and being made of material having different coefiicients of expansion,

said pairs of-plates being normally spaced from each other vertically.

- 3. In a radiator having water conducting pairs of platesprojecting forwardly from t e tubes, said'pairs being. timed toand being connected against spreading between their ends and being made of material having difl'erent coefficients of expansion 'said pairs of plates being normally spaced. from each other vertically and divided into sections laterally of the radiator. I

4. In a radiator having water conducting tubes, pairs of plates projecting. forwardly from the tubes, said pairs being-fixed to- ..gether at their forward and rearward ends, 65

gether at their forward and rearward ends,

and being connected against spreading be tween their ends and being made of material having different coefficients of expansion, said pairs of plates being divided into sections laterally of the radiator. Des Moines, Iowa, A ril 28, 1922.

- EDWI H, BIRDSALL. 

